An ethnic look at Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease is on the rise.

Not exactly a breaking headline - but wait - there's more.

A recent study suggests that minorities will be most afflicted by Alzheimer's disease in the years to come. Why? Experts cite increased incidences of risk factors including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and hypertension among most minority groups. But that's not the only reason. Another report suggests that many minorities may misdiagnose the warning signs of Alzheimer's for normal symptoms of aging.

Thankfully, a number of organizations are developing support services and resources especially targeted for specific minority groups. Here's a few:
Latinos
African Americans
Native Americans
Asian Americans

While these Web resources are a great place to start a search for ethnically-oriented Alzheimer's support, I'm not sure the Internet is the best approach. It seems that local support networks and outreach are essential in both urban and rural communities in order to successfully reach minorities at risk for Alzheimer's.

If you suspect that someone that you know may be showing the early-signs of Alzheimer's, get involved. Especially if that person lives alone, has few close family members or is at risk for the disease and not aware of how it differs from normal again.